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Kit review: Giro Empire SLX shoes

Henry Nixon

September 4 2015, 5:27pm, The Times

Giro have eschewed modern fastenings and gone with traditional laces on the Empire SLX

Deciding which fastening system to have on a new pair of shoes is arguably the most important feature in finding the perfect pair. Technology from snow sports has moved the boa system across to cycling, more traditionally velcro and ratchets have been the standard for decades now.

When Giro first announced plans to produce a lace up cycling shoe, people were dismissive. It had been decades since lace up shoes featured in the pro peloton, yet fashionista Taylor Finney teamed up with the designers in California and the Giro Empire range was born, only three years ago. Style over substance seemed to be a natural conclusion.

This year Giro released the Empire SLX, a lighter, stiffer redesign that sits at the top of the Empire…